Matthew 27:1-38 (Vespers)

When
morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took
counsel against Jesus to put him to death; and they bound him and led
him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and
brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the
elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They
said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."
And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and
he went and hanged himself.
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not
lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money." So
they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury
strangers in.
Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah,
saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on
whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave
them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me."
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are
you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." But when he
was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify
against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge;
so that the governor wondered greatly. Now at the feast the governor
was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they
wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner, called Barab'bas.
So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to
release for you, Barab'bas or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew
that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word
to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have
suffered much over him today in a dream." Now the chief priests and the
elders persuaded the people to ask for Barab'bas and destroy Jesus.
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to
release for you?" And they said, "Barab'bas."
Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called
Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified."
And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the
more, "Let him be crucified."
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot
was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd,
saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." And
all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"
Then he released for them Barab'bas, and having scourged Jesus,
delivered him to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and
they gathered the whole battalion before him.
And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him,
and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed
in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying,
"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat upon him, and took the reed
and struck him on the head.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put
his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. As they went
out, they came upon a man of Cyre'ne, Simon by name; this man they
compelled to carry his cross.
And when they came to a place called Gol'gotha (which means the place
of a skull),
they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted
it, he would not drink it.
And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them
by casting lots;
then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is
Jesus the King of the Jews."
Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on
the left.

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